Hideo Kojima says AI can’t replace human craftsmanship in video games

• Famed game creator Hideo Kojima has voiced his opinions on AI
• He said human creativity is a vital part of the game-development process
• And he’s worried about a future where AI dominates the industry

Legendary games maker Hideo Kojima is known for the creativity of his output, from the Metal Gear Solid series to Death Stranding, so it’s unsurprising to hear that he has strong opinions on the use of AI in video games. And in a fresh interview, he told readers exactly where he feels AI falls flat compared to human-made artistic expression.

Speaking to Japanese site Game*Spark, Kojima said that while it’s good that AI has improved efficiency, “the fun isn’t in finishing the picture. It’s in the process … While it’s fine to tell a computer to create this or that, and then say, ‘That’s wrong, change it,’ I don’t find that very interesting in terms of craftsmanship.”

“I’m worried about what will happen to that aspect of the enjoyment of craftsmanship in the future,” he added.

Kojima said he feels that there’s a distinction between using AI for creative output and employing it to form a finished product: “If you’re just making a ‘product,’ that’s fine, but I think the fun for creators lies in the creative process itself. I think ‘creativity’ and ‘products’ are different things.”

In other words, AI doesn’t offer creators the kind of spark they get from crafting something themselves. And it’s that kind of magic that so often resonates with consumers of Kojima’s media.

His comments reflect those of Jason Graves, the composer of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4‘s soundtrack, who spoke out against AI music generation, saying that “Music is not just a bunch of notes strung together.” Instead, the process is essential as it is based on “creative instincts forged by emotion and all the little decisions that give a piece of art its own unique personality.”

The effort itself is key

Kojima didn’t just muse on what AI means for video games and other creative outlets in the present – he also had thoughts on how it could impact the future.

For instance, the game director said: “It’s not about telling someone to make a song like this and then being satisfied with the result; it’s the trial and error in between that gets the adrenaline pumping, and it’s incredibly exciting. I don’t want a future where that’s lost.”

He then reflected that, “I think it will be fine for five or 10 years, but if AI continues unchecked, perhaps a future where AI plays a vital role in creative fields will come someday. Well, I won’t be around by then. It’s up to the younger generation to decide, so I want to pass the baton to them.”

If the goal is purely to improve efficiency, AI could help to build a “good future,” Kojima noted. But for someone like him, there’s evidently much more to crafting something than just making it quickly with minimal effort.

Indeed, the effort itself is a key part of creative development. As Kojima put it, “Even with plastic models, the shape is the same no matter who builds it, but the process of assembling it is what’s interesting, isn’t it?”